Omomuki Tsushin is a media with the concept of “Touch” and “to widen the circle of Japanese-style”. Introducing information about kimonos, Japanese tea, food, goods and various attractions in Japan. You will find lots of opportunities to “touch” the Japanese-style ( WA 和) at Omomuki Tsushin.

Currently they publish articles only in Japanese. However their articles are worth to be read by people around the world and also they now announced big project!!

They try to interview 2,000 kimono-related companies, shops, and people by the year of 2020. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

Therefore, we have contacted them, and just has started translation and posted articles in English here.

We hope more and more people get chance to know about the attract of kimono.

Omomuki Tsushin is a media with the concept of “Touch” and “to widen the circle of Japanese-style”. Introducing information about kimonos, Japanese tea, food, goods and various attractions in Japan. You will find lots of opportunities to “touch” the Japanese-style ( WA 和) at Omomuki Tsushin.

When you take up kimono, you will want your own one that fits you perfectly. However, at the same time you shrink back thinking, “It looks pretty expensive to order a kimono…”

Also, it may seem wasteful that the formal kimono, which you seldom wear, is just kept as a treasure.

We will introduce “Ise-momen” to those who have the above problems. “Ise-momen” is kimono which is designed perfectly for everyday wear and can be ordered at a reasonable price.

WHAT IS “ISE-MOMEN”— THE CASUAL KIMONO WHICH CAN BE WORN LIKE A DRESS

Ise-momen is a cotton kimono that is produced in Ise region of Mie prefecture. It has attracted people’s attention for being on the cover of the kimono magazine ”Nanao”. Above all, the reason for its popularity lies in its cute design.

“It has a good casual atmosphere like a dress”. Kimonos like are comfortable and can be worn like ordinary clothes.”…There are lots of cute designs that kimono beginners can stretch their hands without hesitation.

THE REASON WHY WE RECOMMEND ISE-MOMEN FOR KIMONO CUSTOME-ORDER DEBUT

Washable at home and cost free maintenance

A silk kimono cannot be washed at home so you always have to ask experts for maintenance like cleaning etc. However, Ise-momen is made of cotton, which puts those at ease who do not want to take time and spend money for its maintenance.

Wrinkle-resistant and easy to maintain

When you wash Ise-momen, all you need to do is to fold it, put it in a washing net and wash it by hand, or wash it in a washing machine on gentle cycle. If you press it gently, it won’t wrinkle even without ironing.

Enjoy kimono in rain or snow, regardless of the weather

Silk kimono cannot be worn without waterproof items in bad weather such as rain, snow or typhoon. However if it is a cotton kimono, you can wash it by yourself so you can enjoy going out wearing kimono regardless of the weather. It is also great that Ise-momen can be worn in most seasons except during the middle of summer. With one kimono fitted to you, you can enjoy wearing it for more than half the year.

Happy reasonable price – kimono made to order at 40,000 yen level

Even ordinary clothes may have the image of luxury items if it is made to order, so you might suppose that “kimono made to order” costs hundreds of thousands yen. Actually, there is kimono that can be made to order at a reasonable price.

Summing up the price of Tanmono(roll of kimono textile as picture below), cloth used for making kimono, and the charge for tailoring, Ise-momen costs around only 40,000 yen. This price is pretty reasonable considering the cost of ordinary clothes made to order.

Therefore, we wish to recommend Ise-momen to those who think “I am a kimono beginner…”or “As kimono is completely my hobby, I cannot afford such luxury.”

Photo: Rolls of Tanmono

BETTER TRY “CHAKUSO” TO FIND A BOLT PATTERN THAT SUITS YOU

When you choose tanmono, you can look for it on some Internet mail order web sites but the best way is to see if it really suits you is in person.

Also at the same time, it is recommended to try not only putting tanmono on your body, but also wrapping it around your body as if you were wearing a real kimono (“Chakuso”) – this helps you to image the completed item.”

It is such a rare opportunity to order kimono that it is better to try Chakuso and check the finished image and the impression of the total coordination. Especially in the case of Tanmono with a block check pattern, the color of the collar totally changes the impression.

LET’S GO TO THE “ISE-EMON EXHIBITION” — TREASURE HOUSE OF DESIGN

Ise-momen is recommended for those who wish to enjoy kimono like everyday clothes, to order your own kimono, and to have your kimono fit you perfectly. If you do that, you probably want to choose your own bolt pattern from a large variety.

Marikoji-style Nihonbashi class was holding the “Ise-momen Exhibition”, where you can choose from more than 30 bolts. If you order your cute Ise-momen now, you can enjoy it for a long time from now until spring. Why don’t you start searching special one?

Marikoji-style is a kimono wearing class that was started in Kyoto. The fame of its unique and simple kimono dressing method that makes you “see the light” and a beautiful person’s appearance when wearing its kimono has spread by word of mouth. Now we have three classes in Meguro and Nihonbashi, Tokyo and in Kyoto. Marikoji-style’s original kimono dressing method overturns the image of kimono, “difficult, high entry and tight” and realizes “beautiful, easy and hard to lose shape”. This method attracts people’s attention as a method that gives you a nice figure. The beginner class where you learn to put on kimono beautifully in three months is popular among women in their 20’s or 30’s who wish to wear kimono as everyday clothes or learn how to put on kimono in a short time.

This is one of cases in Japan. Nowadays, there are few opportunities for Japanese to wear a kimono. We only wear it in Shichi-go-san (a ceremony when kids turn three, five and seven years old), the coming of age ceremony, funerals or weddings. Even if there are not many opportunities that we are supposed to wear a kimono, like at a formal ceremony, we tend to dress in western clothes instead. The reason why we prefer not to wear it is that it’s expensive and hard to put on. There are many rules involved in kimono dressing and numerous accessories we have to prepare.

On the other hand, the number of people who love kimono is increasing in younger generations. Even the many kimono rules that make people avoid wearing a kimono are turning into appealing elements to them.

Almost all the rules regarding kimono are related to the four seasons in Japan

According to the rule of kimono, what type of kimono we wear depends on the calendar. In April, we wear Awase; a lined kimono, Hitoe; an unlined kimono in June, Ro or Shya (summer kimono) in July and August, and in September, back to Hitoe and in October, we wear Awase and Hitoe and so on. (Recently the temparature in Japan has getting warmer so people tend to wear kimono according to it flexibly.)

There are also rules about kimono patterns depending on the seasons. Types of textiles and tailoring are just basic requirements but how you coordinate kimono patterns are not like that. It is sort of ”the aesthetics people assume to have”.

For example, people are expected to wear cherry blossom patterned kimono up until the cherry blossoms bloom in spring. You are not supposed to wear it while they are blooming because the pattern implies excitement of people who wait for the bloom. It is thought that people should look at the cherry blossoms as they bloom and fall in real time, not the ones drawn on kimono.

The reason why people are attracted to kimono might be because we notice how ancient people loved seasons and nature every time we follow the rules, and because we realize that we have the same spirit within us.

Shape of clothing may have an effect on peoples’ mind. We can understand how ancient people felt about the seasons in Japan as if we were they – when we wear kimono, which they used to wear at that time. This fresh and new experience really invites you to the kimono world.

Ori kimono (woven kimono) is often worn casually. You can wear it without hesitation as a stylish everyday garment. You can also wear it on semi-formal occasions such as attending cultural lessons or casual parties if you coordinate the design using obi and accessories.

Among Ori kimono, “Tsumugi” kimono is known for being expensive. It is named according the place in which it was produced, “Oshima Tsumugi,”“Yuki Tsumugi,”and “Shiosawa Tsumugi.”

“Oshima Tsumugi” and “Yuki Tsumugi” are well known as high quality products. The process of making Tsumugi is very complicated. It takes more than a year to complete the process.

You cannot wear Tsumugi kimono on formal occasions such as a wedding ceremony no matter how expensive it is. Kimono is graded according to its types. Tsumugi is regarded as a “casual garment.” If someone wears “Tsumugi” kimono naturally, as casual wear, he/she is considered “iki”(cool). Tsumugi kimono is the most advanced style in kimono. It’s not easy to wear stylishly.

Some kimono and Ori kimono are both beautiful and elegant. If you like a traditional and refined style, Some kimono is for you. If you would like a casual and stylish kimono, you can enjoy Ori kimono.